where to drink now

14 holiday pop-up bars serving over-the-top festive cheer in Houston

There’s so much more to a holiday bar pop-up than tossing a candy cane in a cocktail. We want shimmer, we want lights, we want tinsel — and Houston’s restaurants and bars are more than happy to impress. This year’s lineup has over-the-top décor, themed menus, and immersive experiences that range from 1950s Havana glamour to a cozy Alpine ski lodge. Here’s where to find the city’s most joyful holiday transformations.

Bandista
The Four Seasons Houston’s speakeasy promises a “festive fever dream” with the return of its maximalist Crazy Christmas Lights. Expect an exclusive drink menu and plenty of spots to snap shots. Bandista’s Crazy Christmas Lights runs through December 27. Reservations are recommended.

Bar Madonna
Located within The Marlene boutique hotel in Montrose, the elegant Bar Madonna is decking the halls and mantles with fresh garlands and wreaths. A traditional Christmas tree will greet patrons in the 1910 mansion’s entryway, while themed cocktails will set the tone for a nostalgic holiday.

Botonica
Jingle Bell Bar — the jolly pop-up from the Cursed Cauldron crew — takes over Botonica for the season. Explore three distinct spaces: Classic Christmas in the main bar, Candy Cane Lane in the downstairs lounge, and The Ski Lodge upstairs. Themed cocktails include the Sleigh All Day (gin, elderflower, spiced pear, and sparkling wine), plus snacks like Santa’s Cookie Platter. Programming ranges from burlesque and live music to craft classes and movie nights. Jingle Bell Bar runs November 26–December 28.

Frosty’s
Touted in press materials as "the largest holiday bar in Houston," the pop-up returns for its second year. With two floors, three bars, and a dance floor, Frosty’s offers plenty of room to jingle-jangle. Life-sized nutcrackers, strings of twinkling lights, and glittering baubles complete the scene. Tickets start around $30 and include one to three drinks. Add-ons like the Shotski Experience — four shots mounted on a ski — make for an unforgettable night. Frosty’s is open through December 30.

Emilia’s Havana
Take a Havana Holiday at Emilia’s, the speakeasy tucked into The Annie Café & Bar’s kitchen. Seasonal glitz sets the stage for decadent drinks like the Dubai Chocolate Martini and White Christmas margarita with coconut, rosemary, and cranberries. Wednesdays feature light bites ($25 cover), while Thursday–Sunday ($50) brings the full dinner menu and live entertainment. The first cocktail is included. Havana Holiday runs through December 27. Tickets can be purchased on OpenTable.

HiFi at The Finn
The downtown dining hall’s vinyl-forward spot transforms into the Ralph Lauren Christmas-themed 12 Days of Christmas beginning December 11. A Christmas-themed Bring Your Own Vinyl night kicks things off, with following events ranging from Snowy Nights burlesque to candle-making classes. Drinks include the A-Side of Cider & Spice, a whiskey-spiked hot apple cider. “Ralph Lauren Christmas” at HiFi at The Finn is from December 11–24; closed Sundays.

Johnny’s Gold Brick
Self-described as “Houston’s original Christmas-themed pop-up” bar, Miracle at Johnny’s is a holiday institution. Drinks are served in themed glassware, while the intimate space is aglow with lights and yuletide adornments. New this year is a small menu of bar snacks. Reservations are highly encouraged, with seating offered indoors or outside under a tent. Children are welcome until 7 pm. December 30 is the last day to enjoy Miracle at Johnny’s.

Lyric Market
The downtown food hall's Jingle & Mingle Christmas pop-up features twinkling lights and themed photo ops. Between posing for pictures, enjoy holiday-themed cocktails such as the Peppermint Express, Maple Bourbon Bliss, and Feliz Navidad Nog. Jingle & Mingle is open daily from November 28-December 31.

Monkey's Tail
The Lindale Park bar launches its fifth annual Feliz Navidad celebration on December 1. Elaborate décor pairs with a menu of tamales and 10 festive drinks served in seasonal mugs, including a $12 horchata eggnog. Monkey Tail's celebration peaks December 23 at Noche Buena, featuring Santa photos, a gingerbread house contest, and a mariachi performance.

Nickel City
Santa is stopping by Nickel City this Christmastime to bring holly jolly to the neighborhood bar. The Sippin’ Santa takeover is from November 24-December 27. Daytime (12–5 pm) carries a $25 per-person minimum; evenings (5–10 pm) require a $40 minimum.

The Post Oak Hotel
Navi’s, the upscale hotel’s speakeasy, is opening for one week only to mark the season. Patrons pass through velvet curtains to be transported to the North Pole-inspired Home for the Holidays event with seasonal cocktail-and-bite pairings. The experience runs December 15–23 and costs $180 per person, with seatings at 7 pm and 10 pm (additional seatings Friday and Saturday). Reservations are available on Eventbrite.

Puttery
It’s a hole-in-one for the holidays at Puttery’s Holly Jolly Christmas experience, in partnership with Bucket Listers. Attendees secure a 90-minute time slot and a free welcome drink, like the rum-forward Toasted Marshmallow, for $22. Swing by through December 28th to enjoy Holly Jolly Christmas. Tickets can be purchased through Bucket Listers.

Trash Panda Drinking Club
Trashmere, the bar’s “Nightmare Before Christmas”-inspired transformation, returns for its third year. This quirky take on the holiday bar trend boasts grinning skeletons and graffiti-style art by local muralists Ramos Renditions. Tiki-style mugs shaped like characters from the film hold beverages such as Dr. Finkelstein, a rum apple Old Fashioned. Trashmere begins December 5.

Winnie’s
Nothing says Festivus like a sandwich and a cold cocktail at Winnie’s Miracle pop-up. The popular Midtown bar is a holiday destination for all ages, with children invited until 8 pm. At peak times, there’s a 90 minute time limit per table, so make those cheers with the charming glassware count. Reservations are available for brunch and lunch, but it's first-come, first-served for dinner and late night hours.

Photo by Hasan Yousef

Emilia's Havana offers a retro spin on the holiday bar, with the 1950s-inspired speakeasy decked out in tinsel and trees.

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New Year's greetings

Chris Shepherd gives thanks for underrated wine and talented Houston doctors

Photo by Chris Shepherd

Chris has been enjoying wines from California's Lodi region.

I know my articles have been a bit scarce these past few months, and I owe you an apology. Life shifted in a big way. In September, my wife Lindsey was diagnosed with breast cancer, and our world narrowed, in the best possible way — to home, health, and the fight in front of us.

The first and most important thing I’m thankful for is early detection and the city we live in. Having MD Anderson here in Houston is a gift I’ll never take lightly. Lindsey is doing great with treatment. She’s an absolute warrior, and this experience has a way of reframing everything. It forces you to look back, take inventory, and find purpose in both the good and the hard. Today, we’re focusing on the good.

I love documenting delicious bottles, great bites, and the people we share them with. Every year, I scroll back through my photos to see if my drinking patterns have changed. The answer? A little, but not dramatically. That’s part of what makes wine so fascinating — it’s alive, always evolving, and so are we.

Chablis and Sangiovese were heavy hitters in 2024 and carried right into 2025. But on the white side, I found myself diving deeper into Aligoté, Burgundy’s other white grape. While Chardonnay is the big dog, Aligoté deserves your attention. Think green apple, citrus, herbal, and floral notes, with bright energy and lift. The real bonus? You can drink Aligoté from top Burgundy producers at a much friendlier price point. It punches well above its weight and belongs on your table.

I’ve also been blown away by Chardonnay from northern Oregon. Early mistakes with clones led to wines that never quite found balance, but producers committed to getting it right with different clones that did much better in cooler sites, with less oak and shorter barrel time. Barrels should be nurturing vessels, not seasoning agents. Producers like North Valley, Soter, and Alexana are making some of the best Chardonnay I’ve had in years, and I am here for it.

This past year also brought new adventures, including a month-long stay in Healdsburg, California in July. With a Southern Smoke event and another trip already planned, we packed up the cats, rented a house, and lived somewhere else for a while. It was magical and something I hope we do again.

While out there, my friend Tegan Passalacqua (Turley Vineyards, Sandlands) invited me to Lodi to taste what’s happening in that region. Lodi has long been known for bulk wine, but the story runs much deeper. Sitting just outside the Sierra Foothills, the region was shaped by massive geological shifts millions of years ago that helped it draw settlers searching for gold in the 1800s. They brought vines with them: Zinfandel, Syrah, and countless lesser-known varieties that are finally getting their moment.

Zinfandel, genetically linked to Tribidrag (Croatia) and Primitivo (Italy), has been thriving there since the 1850s. After its boom in the early 2000s and an era of ultra-ripe, high-alcohol styles it lost some favor. But tastes change. What’s coming from Lodi’s old vines today is refined, balanced, and beautiful.

“Think head-trained, dry-farmed, own-rooted vines — some 100 to 150 years old — producing wines that speak clearly of place,” Passalacqua tells me. His Zins sit around 14.5-percent alcohol, elegant and structured, a far cry from the 16-17-percent monsters of decades past.

One of my newest obsessions is Old Vine Cinsault from the Bechthold Vineyard, planted in 1885. Traditionally a blending grape in southern France, here it shines on its own with bright red fruit and soft tannins — an incredibly crushable wine. If you love lighter Pinot Noir or Gamay, this will make you smile. Look for bottles from Sandlands, Turley, Lorenza, Birichino, and others.

So here’s the takeaway, like always: break down the walls you’ve been drinking behind. Try something new. Aligoté and Lodi aren’t new but they don’t need to be. They just need people willing to make them cool again. Trust me, they’re delicious and deserving.

And in the words of the late, great Jerry Garcia:

Photo by Chris Shepherd

Chris has been enjoying wines from California's Lodi region.

Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world
The heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own
Wake now, discover that you are the song that the morning brings
The heart has its seasons, its evenings and songs of its own

Happy New Year, team. Never forget to be kind and show love.

chris shepherd wine